Disclaimer: don't own them, just this possible set of reactions.

Sequel to "Pharaohs and Phantoms".
I'll probably move this one to the YGO section because it focuses more on them. Unless anyone minds?

As per my new policy, anonymous reviews get answered in my profile.

(Edited 3/06)

/So, exactly what happened last night?/ Schoolbag in hand, Yugi hurried down the stairs, mentally reaching out to the ancient spirit within the golden Puzzle around his neck.

There was an answering sense of wry amusement. /Oh, we had a visitor. I'm sure you can guess who./

/A little hard to miss, since I tripped over the new rosebush growing in our room. Nothing serious, I hope?/ Yugi smiled and waved at his grandfather on his way past the kitchen.

/No, no. I think he was just bored and decided to stop by. He left once I told him to–/

The thought was cut off and replaced by wariness, a sense that something was out of place. The pyramid-shaped artifact glowed for a moment as the two minds automatically switched places in a heartbeat. It was Yami who reached the front door and opened it to find a large, beribboned cardboard box tied with an oversized bow blocked the steps, which he regarded with the suspicion of one who had encountered Pegasus' sense of humor. Having the souls of one's friends and family stolen by an insane millionaire with an obsession with cartoon characters does not make for much trust of the unexpected.

/Um. Should we be worried right about now? This sort of thing tends to lead to the world needing saving again./

/We haven't had a good track record with mysterious packages,/ Yami agreed, remembering the unexpected deliveries that had twice before heralded gaming tournaments and the various evil plots that had turned out to be behind them. /But I don't feel anything sinister from this one, and I think I might know who it's from…/

Letting his guard down only slightly, Yami carefully approached the box, ready to draw on the power of the Millennium Puzzle in an instant should it be necessary. At a touch on the ribbon the box sprang open in a shower of confetti, revealing rows of neatly secured knives and a note, which read:

"Delivery for one Yami Yugi, as per request,
All pointy items from the home of one Spirit of the Millennium Ring,
with the exceptions only of said spirit's hair
and the five pointers on the Millennium Ring.
I trust this will be satisfactory to fulfill the conditions.
Signed,
1412"

A caricature of a grinning Kaitou Kid decorated the bottom corner. Other than the breach of protocol of being issued after the theft rather than before, it matched the signature heist notices of said International Thief 1412 perfectly.

Yami stared at the note, then at the contents of the box. There were certainly enough of them for the Tomb Robber's arsenal to have been completely cleaned out. He had the sneaking suspicion he recognized one that Yami Bakura kept in his boot and another he'd glimpsed in a wrist sheath.

/Um, Yami? Is there something I should know about?/ A tentative query curled into his awareness.

Yami blinked, still staring at the contents of the box, and then began to laugh. The former Pharaoh threw his head back, his deep, rich chuckle filling the street.

/I didn't think he'd take me seriously…/

Shaking his head slightly, Yami briefly returned his attention to the box. "Alright," he said aloud to the seemingly empty neighborhood, voice laced with amusement, "All is forgiven. And for this, you get a favor. Within reason."

/…do you really think he can hear you?/

/Perhaps, perhaps not, but do you really think he would so something like this without setting up some means of finding out my reaction?/

/Point./ A surge of amusement flooded through the link. /Oh, dear. We're going to have to watch out for Yami Bakura's reaction!/

- - - - -

"When I get my hands on whoever is responsible for this…!" Yami Bakura fumed. The spirit of the Millennium Ring didn't even attempt stealth as he stomped down the sidewalk, following the pointers of the Ring he had commanded to lead him to the guilty party.

Ryou was glad the ancient Egyptian spirit was also too agitated to bother with blocking him out. While he knew better than to let the Tomb Robber find out, he was partly amused that anyone would go to the trouble of removing all the bladed objects from his house, including the contents of the sewing box, razors, paint scrapers, and the ornamental sword from over the fireplace, and partly disturbed that anyone could without being noticed, especially considering his yami.

Yami Bakura was just furious.

The pull from the activated pointers of the ring strengthened, and the spirit's steps quickened at a glimpse of white disappearing around the corner of a second-floor balcony, rounding the corner of the block before the culprit could vanish. Ryou goggled, unable to believe the sight before their shared eyes.

A figure in a white suit and cape, white top hat tied with a blue ribbon and monocle glinting in the morning sun, had just leapt from a roof to a branch of a large tree bordering the street. For one confused second Ryou almost thought it was one of their cards before common sense and his yami's lack of reaction told him it couldn't be. Upon more thorough inspection, there were a number of obvious differences, but that left the conclusion that this was an ordinary human. The idea that a normal boy had not only gotten the better of the Ring Spirit but was gallivanting around rooftops in that sort of outfit hardly seemed more plausible.

As far as Yami Bakura was concerned, however, the question was entirely academic.

"You!" he snarled.

"Ah, me?" the monocled apparition turned his head and blinked down quizzically, only to yelp as a blast of golden light crackled past his shoulder. While the white-suited figure managed to dodge, the branch he crouched on did not fare as well, and he let out a brief "Ack!" as the bough cracked and fell. Ryou mentally winced, both at the impending impact and at what his yami would do once he got his hands on this strange young man.

But instead of plunging down along with the falling branch, the stranger threw out an arm to the side, his billowing cape snapping out on a hang glider's rigid frame. While the tree had not been high enough for the glider to take off properly, the white-clad figure did manage to control his descent to land on the roof of the porch of the house nearby. Turning, he collapsed the glider and with a glance checked that he was still out of the irate Ring spirit's reach.

"Now what was that for? That wasn't very polite at all," he admonished in a tone of mock-injured innocence.

Yami Bakura did not dignify the comment with a reply. At least, not a verbal one.

Only the phantom's agility saved him from the Man-Eater Bug that suddenly materialized on the roof behind him. Unfortunately, while his backflip did take him out of reach of the snapping jaws, it also took him off the roof. He landed easily, only to realize that the furious Egyptian spirit now had a clear shot at him. One glance at the Man-Eater Bug heading toward the edge of the roof ruled out that avenue of escape, so with a hurried but polite tip of his hat the white-suited magician made to depart toward the street, away from both the summoned Duel Monster and possessed teen.

And then demonstrated that his skills of direction reversal were also in perfect working order as a Possessed Painting materialized at the curb and a clawed hand tried to grab him.

Yami Bakura smirked, relishing the look on what was visible of the impudent mortal's face, and the Millennium Ring glowed and spat sizzling orange fire before the stranger could make another move. The way blocked on either side, the white-suited figure vainly threw up a cape-shrouded arm to block the attack speeding toward him.

" Barrier Circle!" A familiar voice commanded, and the blast splashed off an invisible cylindrical wall in a harmless flare of colored light. The spirit of the Ring whirled to see Yami perched halfway over a fence, Puzzle glowing with Shadow Magic and arm still extended from triggering the magic card.

"Pharaoh," Yami Bakura sneered, white hair bristling. "Meddling in my affairs, as usual? I suppose you're going to tell me this scum is under your protection, hmm?"

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle blinked, managing to make incredulity look regal. "What on earth are you talking about? He went after my Puzzle yesterday, so I get first claim on him."

The Ring's spirit opened his mouth and then shut it again. "You mean you saved him so that you could punish him yourself?"

Yami arched an eyebrow. "What do you think I would do to someone who tried to steal my Puzzle?" He pulled himself the rest of the way over the fence and dropped lightly to the ground.

Yami Bakura glared. Then he glanced at the white-cloaked Kaitou watching them both inscrutably from within the protection of Yami's Barrier Circle.

And then he grinned nastily.

"Very well, then, oh Pharaoh," he drawled sarcastically. "I defer to your…superior claim."

Yami inclined his head regally in acknowledgment, ignoring the sarcasm, and strode forward past the other spirit. He stood silently scrutinizing the thief for a moment, and then the Puzzle flared and the two disappeared into the swirling darkness of the Shadow Realm. Yami Bakura folded his arms below where the Ring rested against his chest and leaned against a tree, sharp brown eyes studying the area intently. He did not have long to wait before the cloud dissipated, revealing Yami standing where he had been and no sign of the caped phantom.

"Only one out of two," Yami Bakura said with a theatrical sigh. "Ah well, guess we can't have everything."

"Good morning to you, too."

The Ring's spirit let his arms fall to his sides. "You banished him to the Shadow Realm, then? Unpleasantly, I trust."

Yami merely smirked and inclined his head slightly. "Good day to you, Tomb Robber." And he walked away.

Yami Bakura snorted before returning to the Ring. Ryou wobbled slightly at the abrupt return of control and sighed to himself as he got his bearings and broke into a trot toward school.

"At least this time the mess happened in more or less the right direction, so I won't be too late…"

Comments treasured. Criticism desperately needed.